Hanson
How the three “MMMbop” brothers are doing today
Rarely appear in public: Hanson
© getty/Matt Winkelmeyer / Getty Images for The Recording Academy
What a rare sight: the former teen heroes of the Canadian group Hanson appear on the red carpet in Los Angeles.
1997 was their year. With their rocking super hit “MMMbop”, the three brothers Zac (38), Taylor (41) and Isaac Hanson (43) from Tulsa, Canada, turned the music world upside down. At the time, they were only 12, 14 and 17 years old. In the past twenty years, things have been quieter for the Hanson trio. Public appearances away from a music stage are rare. It is all the more pleasing that the three According to People magazine, they met on the red carpet in Los Angeles this week to honor other musical “brothers.”
Honor for the Doobie Brothers
The Grammy Hall of Fame induction gala took place in Los Angeles on Tuesday. On this evening, various artists also met to honor the legendary band The Doobie Brothers for their services to music. One of the most famous hits of the band founded in 1969 by singer Michael McDonald is “What a fool believes.” Reason enough for the real-life brother trio of Isaac, Taylor and Zac to present themselves on a red carpet once again: “It’s an incredible honor to be here,” said Taylor. “‘What a fool believes’ is one of the greatest pop songs by a rock band that has ever been released.”
Nominated for three Grammys in 1998
Grammys? There was something. In 1998, Hanson themselves were nominated for a Grammy in three categories: best album, best newcomer and best pop performance. “It was an incredible experience. We felt like we were just a bunch of songwriting kids playing in a band and trying to make it. And then it happens and you’re performing not only in front of legends, but also in front of some of your idols. It was incredible,” Taylor recalls.
Even though Bob Dylan (83), Paula Cole (56) and Jamiroquai snatched the awards away from them, Hanson took off worldwide. Their debut single “MMMbop” reached number one in the charts in 27 countries worldwide. In the USA alone, “MMMbop” held the top spot for 58 weeks, and in Germany for 16 weeks. Their debut album “Middle of Nowhere” sold eight million copies. Teens all over the world celebrated the brothers not only for their music, but also for their solidarity and their critical statements in public.
A total of 15 children
Since the early 2000s, things have been much quieter for the three of them. They continue to perform together, tour worldwide and keep their fans up to date via social media. But they are hardly featured in the tabloids anymore. When they are not on stage, they take care of raising their 15 children. Isaac has three children with his wife Nicole. Zac and his wife Kate have five children, Taylor and his wife Natalie have seven children together – all of them at the age when their fathers became idols to a worldwide fan community. Are their children as musical as they are? “Music is definitely in their genes,” says Zac. “You can see it in Taylor and Issac’s children, especially the older ones. We won’t force them to do anything. But there are always plenty of instruments and studios where we can help them if they want.”
What is “MMMbop” actually about?
Will their kids’ musical activities result in a global hit like “MMMbop”? “MMMbop – ba duba dop – oh yeah” – in 1997 that definitely sounded like a feel-good hit without any deeper meaning – far from it! The three Hanson brothers, who were still minors at the time, had surprisingly profound thoughts about life and its future course for their age. Zac Hanson once said that the song was about the meaninglessness of life. Because sooner or later everything that is important when you are young disappears, especially youth and money. That’s why you should look for people in life with whom you can build a meaningful relationship. Sounds like the life plan that the three Hanson brothers still follow today.